Montana’s TikTok Ban Falls Short: A Symbolic Gesture, Not a Security Solution

In early 2023, Montana lawmakers made headlines by passing the nation’s first statewide ban on TikTok, the popular social media app owned by China-based ByteDance. The law was touted as a bold stand against foreign espionage and an effort to protect American data privacy. Yet, before any Montanan saw their favorite viral videos disappear, a federal judge dismissed the ban — not due to constitutional merits or evidence—but because ByteDance sold majority ownership to American investors. Does this legal technicality truly secure America from Beijing’s reach? Or is it another example of posturing that fails to confront the real threats...